Attractions of Madagascar

Ranomafana National Park
Ranomafana National Park is a rainforest located in the southeast of Madagascar 267 kilometres from Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar.The park is41,600 hectares with a huge diversity of wildlife including 12 species of cute lemurs, a wide array of lizards and birds.

Manambolo River
Manambolo River originates from Haut plateau130 kilometres Madagascar west of Antananarivo towards the Mozambique Channel. Lemurs can be seen coming down to drink at the river’s edge.

Tsingy de Bemarahastrict nature reserve
Tsingy de Bemaraha is Reserve containing alien-looking karst limestone formations. It is located on the western coast of Madagascar 283 kilometres from Antananarivo covering 853 square kilometres. It is a habitat of five species of threatened lemurs, lizards, rodents and about 140 bird species.

Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park
Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park is found adjacent toTsingy de Bemaraha strict nature reserve covering 666 square kilometers 283 kilometres from Antananarivo. The national park centers on two geological formations: the Great Tsingy and the Little Tsingy. A Tsingy is a karst limestone formation.

Royal Hill of Ambohimanga
Royal Hill of Ambohimanga also called ‘the holy city’ or ‘the forbidden city’ is located just 20 kilometres northeast of Antananarivo. The Royal Hill of Ambohimanga consists of a royal city and burial site, an ensemble of sacred places and a huge, circular front gate that takes 40 men to roll into position. It is an exceptional witness to the civilization which developed in Madagascar between the 15th and 19th centuries.

Masoala National Park
Situated in the northeast Madagascar, the Masoala National Park covers nearly 402 kilometres of rainforest, 455 kilometres from Antananarivo. The park includes three marine parks; Tampolo, Ambodilaitry and Ifaho. Attractions within the park include ten species of lemur including the Aye-aye, the world’s largest nocturnal primate, 102 species of birds, reptiles, palm trees, brackens and seaweeds.

Andasibe-Mantadia National Park
Encompassing about 161 kilometres of land 155 kilometres from Antananarivo in eastern Madagascar, Andasibe-Mantadia National Park is home to eleven lemur species, including the country’s largest lemur, the Indri.

Ifaty
Ifaty is the name given to two dusty fishing villages; Mangily and Madio Rano on the coast of southwest Madagascar, 949 kilometres from Antananarivo. Ifaty is ideal for diving (with sharks), snorkeling and fishing.

Avenue of the Baobabs
The Avenue of the Baobabs is a group of trees up to 800 years old lining the dirt road between Morondava and Belon’i Tsiribihina in western Madagascar 643 kilometres from Antananarivo. Of eight baobab species in the world, six are endemic to Madagascar; one other is found in Africa and another in Australia.

Nosy Be
The island of Nosy Be (translated as ‘big island’) is Madagascar’s largest, most popular holiday resort located off the northwest coast of Madagascar 628 kilometres from Antananarivo. Marvelous beaches and coral reef in a protected national zone, natural lemur reserve, wonderful fishing and numerous nearby desert islands can all be enjoyed from Nosy Be.

Isalo National Park
Located in the central southern region of Madagascar, Isalo National Park covers 81, 540 hectares of land 460 kilometres from Antananarivo. Attractions here include ring-tailed lemurs, brown lemurs, sifakas and 14 nocturnal lemurs, approximately 80 species of birds, 35 reptile species, endemic frogs and 500 flora species.

Lake Tritriva
Lake Tritrivafills long-extinct crater southwest-central Madagascar, in the region of Vàkinankàratra179 kilometres from Antananarivo. The lake is said to be some 80 metres deep.There are also numerous hot springs scattered in the vicinity.

Lac Mantasoa
Approximately 60 kilometres to the east of Antananarivo is the huge man-made lake, Lac Mantasoa encompassing about 2,000 hectares dating back to the 1830s. Fishing and sailing are the main activities. A large palace built here several years prior to the flooding of the land for Queen Ranavalona I now lives beneath the lake’s surface

Lac Itasy
Lake Itasy is the third-largest lake in the country, covering an area of roughly 4,450 hectares and located some 120 kilometres west of Antananarivo. Itasy’s shores are dotted with hot springs and geysers and a monument which marks the centre of Madagascar stands on its edge.

Lac Anosy
Lac Anosy lies in the centre of Antananarivo. The lake is regularly frequented by egrets and surrounded by mature jacaranda trees. It is linked to the shoreline by a narrow causeway is an island, where a simple World War I monument stands – named the Monument to the Dead (Monument aux Morts).Ambatoharanana Cave

Also known as Grotte des Crocodiles, Ambatoharanana Cave is the longest known cave in Madagascar, 18.1 kilometres long 1002 kilometres from Antananarivo, northern Madagascar.

Lily Waterfall
Lily Waterfall is a 23 metre high waterfall full of legend in central Madagascar about 138 kilometres from Antananarivo. According to legend, the river and falls get their name from a young girl, Lily, who was swept away and never found.

The Rova
The Queen Palace at an altitude of 200 on the highest hill of the city of Antananarivo, also called Manjakamiadana, was destroyed almost completely by a fire in 1995 leaving only the stone walls of the building. The original structure was made of wood but was later changed to stone in 1869, commissioned by Queen Ranavalona II.

Montagne d’Arbre

Montagne d’Arbre is the country’s first national park established in 1958,1000 kilometres from Antananarivo at the island’s northern tip. The park is famous for its waterfalls, crater lakes, wildlife, rain forest, about 75 bird species, frogs, reptiles, snakes, chameleons, lemurs, rodents and a variety of flora.

Marojejy National Park
Marojejy National Park comprises 55,500 hectares north east of Madagascar, 550 kilometres from Antananarivo. It is home to ferns, palms trees, amphibians, reptiles, 118 species of birds and eleven species of lemurs including the critically endangered Silky Sifaka (Propithecus candidus).